University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 11

Semester: 2

Planned timetable: 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm Mon

This module will examine how the United States has entered, fought and then left the many wars in which it has been involved. The hope is not to come up with some overarching theory of how the US conducts itself, but to understand the different choices that it has faced and how it went about answering them. All three of these areas have been the subject of great debate. American entry into war has been examined from the point of view of economic interest, security concerns, high political decision-making and even public opinion. The way that the USA has fought wars has been even more controversial. One idea is that the country has been too reliant on equipment/technology/firepower, and has regularly lost its way politically. Finally, how the USA has ended up leaving its wars has been debated. There is a discussion over whether/how/if public opinion compels an administration to pull the USA out of war at different times, and just how 'victory' or 'defeat' should be defined

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 2-hour seminars

Scheduled learning hours: 22

Guided independent study hours: 276

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 100%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 0%

Re-assessment: 3-hour Written Examination = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr P Finnegan
Module coordinator email pf58@st-andrews.ac.uk